E.I.C.R rant by arti electrical

[Dustydazzler]

He makes a good valid argument (all be it quite long winded)

what ever happened to the £20-30 per circuit which for years seemed a good industry standard price which companies could actually make a profit doing

how these drive by sparks can bang out 20 eicr a a day for £40 a pop is just a joke , and in a
l honesty will just make the whole point of an eicr pointless

 

[Vortigern]

I must say I have been entirely unaffected by this so called price war, if there is one. I arrange with the customer to only do the EICR and advise them to get another electrician to do the work/remedials if there are any needed. For the obvious reason re conflict of interests. I charge £25 Per circuit if they can get a cheaper price they are most welcome to shop elsewhere.

 

[Teddy Lop]

I didn't watch the video all through, I assume you're paid by the minute for these things so take 10 to state what 3 would suffice for and my attention span just can't hack it.

The price war is nothing new, I've spent my 20+ years explaining to people why 100quid PIRs are BS and found most people quite receptive, as they are with many things they're often just not offered or explained, such as RCBOs>dual RCDs.

But yeah the recent rise of EICRs when the animals not bothered to remove the cover or even try do a convincing job of faking it is quite appalling, and no scheme provider is clean of them, had several of my landlord clients contact me with such EICRs + comedy remedial quotes in the last few months after allowing their letting agent to arrange it.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Have to agree with Vortigern. I continue to charge my normal rate for an EICR, averaging £175-£200 and so far everyone is happy to pay it. However, this is dealing with the homeowner direct, not a management company or estate agent.

 

[Dustydazzler]

For a standard 2/3 bed house £200 for an eicr is probably about right. no idea what artisan is charging for a half day eicr home visit.
I don’t do many but if I’m asked I normally say £25 per circuit if it’s local to me and £30 per circuit if it’s further afield.
I can’t remember ever being told by a homeowner im too dear...

 

[Baddegg]

I charge £30 per circuit take it or leave it, get more than I want at that price so all good......It will all end in tears eventually for the drive by boys it always does, stick to ya guns charge properly do proper job and sleep easy ?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I do quite a few for a Bath based letting agent. One or two of the landlords moan about the price, in which case they go elsewhere, I then get a call asking can i quote to do the remedials, many of which do not even doing but the drive by guy said so and was trying to rip them off....
The agent just tells me the majority of time do it and invoice us what ever the cost as they know I do the job and am thorough. Have built up a good relationship, it is the only agent in Bath I work for now as the others were money grabbing numpties.
One of which called me once and said she was unhappy as i marked it unsatisfactory and the usual electrician had taken a look and said it was okay. cheeky moo

 

[7029 dave]

IMO its only going to get worse, race to the bottom.

 

[DPG]

IMO its only going to get worse, race to the bottom.

I think you're right. Although once a couple of accidents/deaths happen as a result of someone not picking something up during the 'checking' then it will probably result in an enquiry of some sort into the whole process. But that will be too late sadly.

I reckon there will be a few dodgy 'electricians' and up in court, it's only a matter of time.

 

[Mike Johnson]

The problem is it's far to easy to say "it was not like that when I inspected" and there is no proof otherwise unless the incident happened immediately after the EICR was carried out, even then difficulty of proof.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

The problem is it's far to easy to say "it was not like that when I inspected" and there is no proof otherwise unless the incident happened immediately after the EICR was carried out, even then difficulty of proof.

Reading the legislation, 3.(1), it seems to say that the landlord's duties are:

to ensure the safety standards are met, AND have regular EICRs carried out,
not: to ensure the safety standards are met, BY having regular EICRs carried out.

So I suppose, unless the problem should have definitely been found within the limitations of the report, it would be the LL that copped it, rather than the spark?

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

These Regulations impose duties on private landlords of residential premises in England in respect of electrical safety standards. The duties do not apply to landlords of social housing. The Regulations require local housing authorities to enforce the duties, and include a power to arrange...

www.legislation.gov.uk

 

[Spoon]

Out of curiosity, how long would it take to test an average 3 bed semi? Say 6 circuits.

 

[Vortigern]

4 to 6 hours usually.

 

[Spoon]

4 to 6 hours usually.

Is that how long it takes to just to do the tests or does that include paper work as well?
Next door neighbour is getting his tested next week.
Curious as to how long someone would be in the house just testing.

 

[Baddegg]

Out of curiosity, how long would it take to test an average 3 bed semi? Say 6 circuits.

Takes me a while day and then certificates in the evening ?

 

[westward10]

Out of curiosity, how long would it take to test an average 3 bed semi? Say 6 circuits.

Six circuits in reasonable condition three hours max, Report one hour.

 

[7029 dave]

Guy done gas inspection and EICR at my gf house she rents in approx 1hr ish 7 circuits.
Calculated the R1 R2 on the sockets, He did have his mate going round taking the measurements, whilst he was at the CU position recording on his tablet.

 

[Dave OCD]

That sounds like they only tested Dave, without taking any fittings off for inspection or anything like that ? And you'd have to access the ends of circuits such as lights, cooker, immersion heater and shower for RI &R2 measuring. Any idea what they charged for doing all that in around an hour ?

 

[7029 dave]

That sounds like they only tested Dave, without taking any fittings off for inspection or anything like that ? And you'd have to access the ends of circuits such as lights, cooker, immersion heater and shower for RI &R2 measuring. Any idea what they charged for doing all that in around an hour ?

2 ceiling roses were unscrewed per lighting circuit , cooker DP switch, and a couple of sockets, no switches were removed, It was not thorough by any means, no idea what he charged it was for her LL.

 

[brianmoooore]

2 ceiling roses were unscrewed per lighting circuit , cooker DP switch, and a couple of sockets, no switches were removed, It was not thorough by any means, no idea what he charged it was for her LL.

How the hell can that be considered an EICR???

 

[7029 dave]

How the hell can that be considered an EICR???

This is what your up against, keep saying its a race to the bottom especially with LL reports.

 

[Doomed]

If its empty its easier, two bed house today checked every light fitting and switch, all end of lines, both smokes and around 10 sockets 6 circuits in total, was done in 3 hours. After had a occupied smaller one bed place with 4 circuits took me longer.

We estimate 4 to 8 hours for an occupied house, 2 to 4 hours for an occupied flat and up to half that if empty.

(then you get the empty one bed flat with 8 day rate and 2 off peak circuits just to bugger you about)

 

[Vortigern]

to do the tests or does that include paper work

The whole thing, testing inspecting and cert. So first thing I do is inspect CU and Cut-out, then earthing then all fittings for damage and security of fixing. Check the physical tightness of bonding clamps and labels. Then remove fittings usually starting as 25%, more if there are signs of poor wiring like no earth on metal boxes, poorly wired sockets with no earth sleeving, remove electric shower cover and switch to check for thermal damage. Then the testing. Everything unplugged, noting neons for IR testing. Do ring final circuit tests. R1/R2 on every circuit, just attach L to earth bus bar for each circuit, use the plug device for sockets for R1/R2 this also ensures continuity of cpc and polarity. If present also check function of emergency lighting, not full three hour test though. I use my ipad as I go to note all test results and this forces me to do everything as I go. Last three bed I did was 6 hours. That house had a loft ladder so easy to inspect it quickly cables flopping all over the air space in there very poor wiring.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

the one I had tested today had 6mm twin and earth being used for 2 circuits... one a ring and the other a radial for 3 sockets..... somehow the person who wired it managed to get both cables in the sockets tight.
It was the old style mk sockets.... would never work with the cheap new ones.

 

[magnoliafan89]

We had a company subcontracted to ours to help with the testing. A few of us expressed concerns to the higher ups but their response was well they're cheap. We found their paperwork wasnt adding up and upon visiting a few properties they claimed to have done found they couldn't possibly have done them.
So now we find ourselves going back over these properties and I can't count the amount of times I'm not even half way through when a tenant says
"You're more thorough than the last one...he was only here 20 minutes"
Then there was the remedials. Observations worded "plastic board" and marked as C2.
Again the higher ups were pleased with the fact they'd change a board for £80.
One property I went to they'd changed it and there were gaping holes on the top. The tenant informed me the bloke turned up in a car and even checked the rubbish In his recycling bin.

That was a big company that were doing these and they do other services to so one can only imagine the horror they leave elsewhere